Numerous types of sample preparation devices for chemical analysis have been developed that utilize pipette tips. The main advantage for using pipette tips is that they may be readily used with automated robotic liquid handlers. All of these available tips focus on the processing of liquid sample solutions that draw solutions in and out of the narrow bottom end of the pipette tips. Furthermore, all of these products are only amenable to low pressure applications. These tips cannot utilize small particle size sorbent with very high surface areas because these cause high back pressure. None of these inventions introduce solutions through the top wide opening end of the pipette tips.
Unfortunately, these inventions are not effective for analyzing viscous liquid sample solutions such as whole blood. None of these devices are capable of processing semi-solid samples such as waste water or tissue homogenate without some sort of sample pre-treatment such as protein precipitation, centrifugation or filtration. Furthermore, none of these pipette tip devices can be used for directly analyzing solid samples.
There exists a need for a pipette tip device that can be used to process liquid, semi-solid and solid sample solutions for chemical analysis.